Language change, two demonstrations

[firecat]

1. The adjective "gay" swings wildly from positive to negative to positive
(Original tweet: https://twitter.com/DenpaCodec/status/948397078861955072)
the robot from evangelion
@anildasharez0ne
1998: the teens are calling everything gay
2008: the teens aren't sure they should be really calling things gay
2018: the teens are calling everything gay again, but in a positive way this time

firecat notes that it seems to be working its way back to its 1200s-1300s meaning, "Bright or lively-looking, esp. in colour; brilliant, showy" and its 1400s-and-later meaning, "light-hearted, carefree; manifesting, characterized by, or disposed to joy and mirth; exuberantly cheerful, merry; sportive." (http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/77207 — login required, unfortunately)

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2. A certain expletive gains acceptability in new contexts.

"Samuel L. Jackson, Patron Saint of ‘MFers,’ Endorses Rashida Tlaib’s Expert Usage on Trump" by Anne Branigin on The Grapevine

Jackson then proceeded to spell “motherfucker” three different ways, because when you’re Sam Jackson, why the fuck wouldn’t you?

Samuel L. Jackson
@SamuelLJackson
@RashidaTlaib I just wanna Wholeheartedly endorse your use of & clarity of purpose when declaring your Motherfucking goal last week.Calling that Muthafukkah a Motherfucker is not an issue,calling that Muthaffuqah President Is!!!#motherfuckeristoogoodtowasteonthatcankersore

[original tweet: https://twitter.com/SamuelLJackson/status/1082097661916954625]

Comments

[marahmarie]

"Say what again" is one of my favorite phrases from him (I've used the word above so many times in so many contexts - and will probably continue doing so - it's starting to wear out on me, while "Say what again" or some variation of it ("Say that again") just seems timeless.

In all honesty, motherfucker *is* too good of a word to waste on him, whether I'm tired of it or not.